A Shining Star
by fanficwiz
Summary: When the famous Vasilisa Dragomir hires Rose to be one of her bodyguards, Rose is thrown into a world completely foreign to her. Will Rose be able to handle all of the drama and problems that Lissa's life and celebrity status bring her? And what happens when she is attracted to Lissa's head body guard, Dimitri Belikov? All human.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone, here is my new story! I hope you all enjoy it, and review if you think I should continue it!**

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**Chapter 1**

**Rose's POV:**

"Wake up Rosie, it's nearly 2:00!" Yelled a far too cheerful voice. I groaned in response and hid under my blankets.

"I have some great news, and even made you pancakes to discuss it over."

The thought of Christian's homemade chocolate chip pancakes topped with strawberries was enough incentive to get up. I strolled into the kitchen and piled my plate with pancakes, and prepared a cup of coffee. I had a major hangover from spending last night out at the club.

Once I sat down, Christian sat across from me with food in his plate as well. "You aren't happy Rose," he stated simply. I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off. "Ever since you dropped out of college, you have been moping around, not wanting to get up in the mornings and not wanting to do anything productive during the day. You have even quit jogging."

"I thought you had good news for me," I groaned. I didn't want to sit here and have Christian tell me about how miserable I am, because I know fully well that I am not doing great. College was simply not for me; I hated studying in classroom environments. My passion had always lied in physical activities, but it wasn't like I could easily get a job for being good at running and sports. Christian had once suggested that I became a physical education teacher, but the thought of teaching a bunch of bratty kids did not appeal to me. I couldn't imagine needing to teach people similar to myself.

It had now been a half a year since I had dropped out of college, and the most productive thing I had done was getting a job at a local restaurant as a waitress. However, I knew that I did not want to work as a waitress for my whole life.

"My Aunt Tasha has also noticed how demoralized you have been lately, and she managed to set up a job interview for you as a result," Christian was clearly trying to repress a huge grin. "She had apparently been out for coffee with an old friend of hers who was in the process of hiring someone. She gave him your name and phone number, and he said he would interview you for the position!" Christian was very excited, although I didn't know why.

"I have gotten many job interviews before, why are you so excited? What is this job even?" I asked.

"You will be interviewed for the position of being one of Vasilisa Dragomir's bodyguards!" He exclaimed excitedly.

My jaw dropped. Vasilisa Dragomir was a ridiculously famous and rich celebrity. She was an actress, singer, and model. She had starred in multiple movies, primarily in romantic comedies, and had gone on concert tours that had completely sold out. She was also dating a really hot singer named Aaron Drozdov. Despite all of her success, she had managed to maintain a nearly flawless reputation. She had a picture-perfect life. The thought of not only meeting her, but becoming a part of her life excited me to no end.

"But I don't know how to be a bodyguard," I sighed after a moment of excitement.

"Tasha's friend assured her that he could train you if you show promise during the interview. It also greatly depends on whether Vasilisa will like you or not since she has to like the person that will be spending so much time with her. So in other words, be nice during your interview! It is scheduled for 5:00 today." He exclaimed.

"That's only in two and a half hours!" I cried. "And you let me sleep until this late?"

Christian laughed. "It's not like you were getting up very willingly," he remarked.

I quickly shoveled down the rest of my food and sprinted off to the shower. After drying off, I had to decide what to wear. I didn't want to look like a slob, but I didn't want to dress too formally since I was interviewing for the position of a bodyguard. Since it was summer, I opted for a pair of cute jean shorts that were short, but not too revealing, matched with a tight workout tank top that made me look both athletic and sexy. I just prayed that I wouldn't look cheap in this while standing next to Vasilisa. After planning out my outfit, I decided to let my dark hair fall down my back in natural waves, and applied a little bit of eyeliner and lip gloss to finish the look.

I would be interviewed at Vasilisa's house which was about a forty-five minute drive away from here which meant that I had to leave really soon. I didn't want to be late.

"Christian, does this look fine?" I yelled to him, needing some assurance. I haven't really had time yet to get too nervous over the interview, but the more I thought about being Vasilisa's bodyguard, the more I wanted the job, and the more nervous I have gotten.

"Rose, relax, you look fine." Christian told me smiling. 99% of the time, Christian is an annoying asshole, but deep down, he is a really good friend. The two of us met during high school. My mother had abandoned me at a boarding school at a young age. I lived at the school for my entire childhood. I made friends, but most of the time I was lonely. Christian and I bonded one summer when he was left at the school as a result of both of his parents being arrested for a first degree murder. Christian had been devastated, and had eventually opened up to me that summer. We both emphasized with the other's feelings of loneliness and betrayal. However, Christian at least had his Aunt Tasha who had become involved in his life after dealing with all of the problems that his parents had caused. After Christian and I became friends, she extended offers to spend time at her house with Christian in the summer. After graduation, the two of us moved into an apartment together. A lot of people found our relationship very weird since we acted like an old married couple, but weren't actually romantically involved. We viewed each other as siblings, and nothing more.

"Thanks Chrissy," I replied smiling.

"You should get going Rose," he said, pushing me towards the door.

"Yes, I really should, thank Tasha for me when you get the chance!" I called out as I rushed towards the car.

I pulled up to the address I had been given and was awestruck by Vasilisa's mansion. The place definitely did not look like it belonged in Montana. Thinking about it now, I wonder why Vasilisa even lives here, and not in California with many of the other celebrities.

A huge gate lined the outside of the property, and large trees surrounded the house. It was artfully designed, and huge. When I pulled up, two bulky men approached my car. I had to show them I.D., and was then escorted by both men inside of the mansion while a different man parked my car. Looking at the two men who were walking me in, I began to worry that I was really out of place. I simply cannot be as strong as these men are. Why would Vasilisa hire someone as weak as I am?

When we entered the large front door, I was led into a spacious room with lots of soft looking couches and carpets. The place was huge, but it still felt like a home. A warm fireplace was the focus of the room and contributed to the comfortable feeling. The inside of the house seemed to be coloured very vibrantly which drew me in further. The two men led me through a long hallway and we eventually exited out a door in the back. This must be it, Vasilisa Dragomir must be outside at this very moment! Despite how excited I am to be meeting a celebrity, I don't want to present myself as a fan. I want to look professional and composed.

I walked out the door and immediately fell in love with the backyard. It was landscaped beautifully with pink, red, and yellow flowers growing everywhere. There were also berry and vegetable plants planted along the fences. Large trees also grew everywhere which made it feel like I was in the middle of a forest. However, the trees were all blocking the sun which was making me shiver a little bit. My gaze eventually focused on the pool that was slightly hidden behind large trees, and saw Vasilisa herself lying down a lounge chair in a pink bikini talking to a man who was lying beside her. I was surprised that she was being so casual about an interview, but I suppose she is the celebrity here. I am just glad that I am dressed casually as well. The two men escorted me closer to the two, and I tried to hold in the excitement that was bubbling within me.

When we got closer, the man and Vasilisa both turned their heads to look at me. Vasilisa turned towards me, and gave me a genuine smile. She hopped up from her seat and walked towards me.

"You must be Rose," she said smiling. "I'm Lissa," she said extending out her hand. I shook her hand, and she quickly pulled up a comfortable lounge chair for me to sit across from her in. Looking at Vasilisa, or Lissa I should say, I was struck immediately by her beauty. Her skin was creamy and very fair, and her platinum blond hair was straight. What caught my attention most were her trademark jade green eyes. I had always thought that her eyes only sparkled in photographs as a result of photo shopping, but seeing her now, I knew that they really did shine like diamonds. Lissa was beyond stunning, and I felt inferior in her presence.

"Would you like anything to drink?" she asked.

"No thanks," I replied.

"Stop being so polite," she snorted. "Pavel, could you bring out some water and an assortment of different drinks for Rose?"

Pavel must be one of the men who escorted me in since he nodded and went inside.

"You don't like warm weather, do you?" I commented randomly to Lissa. It made sense now that I thought about it, with her pale skin. Why else would she be in a bikini at 5:00 in the evening on a not so warm day with a completely sheltered backyard?

"Yeah, you're right; I actually don't like the sun very much. My skin just burns in it." She replied smiling. "So Rose, this is Dimitri Belikov. He is my head body guard." Lissa told me after a moment, motioning to the man beside her. My eyes widened when I took him in. I had been so distracted by Lissa that I had barely even looked at the man beside her. I don't know how I could ever have missed someone like him.

Unlike Lissa, he was completely dressed (unfortunately), but it was obvious that his body was sculpted perfectly. Even sitting down, he looked really tall. Unlike the two men who escorted me in, Dimitri wasn't very broad, for he seemed to have leaner muscles. He had dark shoulder length hair that was pulled back in a ponytail, and dark eyes that I could so easily get lost in. He is painfully attractive.

Looking at the way Dimitri is seated, it is clear that he isn't relaxed like Lissa is. His posture is stiff and a look of concentration seems to be plastered on his face.

"Hi Dimitri, it's really good to meet you," I told him, extending my hand towards him. When he shook my hand, it was like a spark passed between us. His hand was large, warm, and calloused. I never wanted to let go of it.

'Snap out of it!' I urged myself. This is a job interview for god's sake! I should not be drooling over the man who is interviewing me.

"It's good to meet you too. Tasha has told me all about you." He replied formally.

This was Tasha's friend? I was going to kill her for having not introduced me to this man earlier!

"Oh, well that's good," I replied. "Hopefully she has a put in a good word," I added with a wink. Lissa chuckled but Dimitri facial expression didn't budge.

Pavel returned a moment later with a fancy glass filled with water in one hand, and an entire cooler in the other.

"Take whatever you like," Lissa told me politely. She seemed really nice so far. I'm surprised that she was making any effort with me considering I was probably just some person to her at the moment.

"Tasha told me that you have never been a body guard, but that you enjoy physical activities and are fiercely loyal." Dimitri said, turning to me. "I would like to take you into the training room in the house to test your physical capabilities."

"My body is capable of many things," I replied flirtatiously without thinking. Lissa's eyes widened. I would have expected her to have been disgusted by my comment, but Lissa was clearly no ordinary person. She set her drink down and started laughing. Dimitri simply kept his emotionless mask in place.

"Then come with me, and prove it." He said sternly, in a tone that was definitely not flirtatious.

"Alright," I replied.

"Do you know how to shoot a gun?" he asked me as we were walking.

"No," I replied, surprised that it was the first thing he had asked me. "Would I have to shoot people if you hire me?" I asked. I don't know if I am completely comfortable with that thought.

"Unlikely," he replied. "But all of the bodyguards are equipped with them just in case. Fortunately, none of us have ever had to use them. Do you know how to spar?"

"I took wrestling in high school," I replied.

Dimitri sighed. "We don't have to spar often either. It is important to be strong though. Crazy fans will push and try to get close to Vasilisa, and it is our job to ensure that no one can so much as lay a finger on her. Doing this will often require you to use your own body as a shield."

"I would do that, but Dimitri," I began looking up at him. "Tell me honestly; is there any chance that I will be able to fully protect Lissa ever? I am not as strong as you, and never will be."

Dimitri pondered my question for a moment before replying. "It is too early to say Rose. It depends on how fit you can keep yourself, and on how well you are able to apply your skills in high pressure situations."

We went into the basement of Lissa's house and I was shocked to find a track that was a third of a mile long in her basement.

"Wow," was all I could say when I looked at the various workout machines that she had as well.

After ten minutes of running, I was already beginning to get tired. I wish I hadn't been so lazy over this past half year. Dimitri definitely noticed me struggling.

"Why am I even running?" I asked him.

Dimitri chuckled. "We spend a lot of time running from the paparazzi," he replied.

"Oh, ok," I guess that made sense.

**Lissa's POV:**

"Dimitri, you have to hire her!" I exclaimed. "You cannot even begin to understand how terrible it is to live in a home with so many men who are years older than me! No offense," I added quickly. Dimitri is awesome, but he isn't a teenage girl. "Maybe Rose can even be like a friend to me." She seemed confident, flirtatious, and funny. It would be so refreshing to spend time with someone as down to earth and normal as she is. The media presents my social life as being flawless. In reality, I spend time with other celebrities like Camille Conta and Avery Lazar primarily as a publicity stunt. I don't have any female friends that I could actually consider as being best friends.

Even if Rose and I don't end up getting along perfectly, it would still nice to have a female bodyguard. It is very uncomfortable for me when my male bodyguards have to keep watch over me when I am getting dressed at places like photo shoots.

"I am not sure if that would be wise Vasilisa, she is very inexperienced." Dimitri replied. "Although, I do sense that Tasha was correct in claiming that she was loyal. But if you want a female bodyguard so badly, then we can look into hiring a different one with more experience."

"But no one seems to have experience! There are like no female bodyguards." I replied.

Dimitri nodded, acknowledging my point. "If you are completely set on hiring her, we can train her, and see if she has what it takes to be a successful guard. However, I can assure you that she will not be ready to work shifts alone for quite a long time."

"There is no harm in testing her out, right?" I asked him.

"Probably not," he replied.

"Awesome!" I replied. Dimitri had informed her after their work out that the interview had not yet finished, but that she could shower off before returning outside to the two of us. I know that our interview methods are unconventional, but honestly, the whole point of this in my mind is to see if I can get along with her. Skills can always be learned, but one's personality cannot be changed, so I have always prioritized my relationship with the prospective employee over their job experience. Dimitri thinks my priorities are completely screwed up, but of course has never actually said that to my face. I hate how people are always afraid of speaking their minds when they are around me. I am good at singing and acting, and have been blessed with my appearance, but I am still human! I wish people would quit treating me like some otherworldly goddess. That kind of treatment only further isolates me from everyone else.

"I love your shower, the water pressure is just right," Rose told me as she stepped back outside. I had given her a clean outfit since the one that she wore here was dirty from her workout.

"Thanks, I hate it when the pressure is so low that the shampoo won't come out of my hair," I replied smiling.

"I know," she replied. "And at least your hair is thin. Mine is so thick that the water barely gets through it."

I smiled. It felt good to just talk about normal girl things for once. I didn't have to put up a fake appearance when I was around Rose, and she seemed easy to talk to.

"Rose, I want to hire you. However, Dimitri said you will have to do a lot of work and training to get your skills up to par. Do you want the job?"

"Yes!" she replied immediately. I liked that, how she wasn't trying to act cool or something by saying that she had to think about it first. She knew what she wanted, and wasn't afraid of going after it.

"Awesome, I will show you to your room. I can send a truck over to your old place to have your things packed up." I replied excitedly.

"Wait, do I have to live here?" she asked hesitantly.

"Oh, I didn't think that would be a problem, it's just, my bodyguards all live here since they secure the place at night as well." I replied. I really hoped this wasn't a deal breaker, but she would definitely need to live here if she was going to guard me.

"That will be fine," she said after a moment. "I was just surprised."

"Great! I will be eating dinner in an hour and would love for you to join me." I told her. "Anything in my home is yours to use, so don't be afraid to touch or use anything."

"Ok, that sounds good Lissa. Thank you so much for all of this, it really means a lot to me." She told me.

"Having a potential female bodyguard means a lot to me too."

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**Do you like the premise of it? Do you like how the different characters are presented so far?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for such an amazing response to the first chapter! I hope you all enjoy this chapter as well!**

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**Chapter 2**

**Rose's POV:**

I groaned as I slowly rolled out of bed. I had been intensely training with Dimitri for a full week now and felt like the walking dead. My muscles cried out in pain with each step as my eyes struggled to stay open. Dimitri continuously insisted that the pain would go away once I was in better shape, but I had a hard time believing him at the moment.

The good news was that Lissa would be participating in a photo shoot for a beauty magazine this morning which excused me from what would have been my morning workout. My official job training would begin today when I escorted Lissa out into the public for the first time.

I eventually made my way out of bed, and jumped into my private steam shower. Working for Lissa definitely had its benefits, although I really missed my old home as well as Christian. I had spoken with him on the phone many times since I moved out, but have not actually seen him in person since I have been so busy working with Dimitri. When Dimitri isn't pushing me in the workout room, he has me following him around everywhere, teaching me everything that I needed to know about being a good bodyguard. The job was actually very complex. Different bodyguards have very different roles. Dimitri is currently one of Lissa's near bodyguards, and is teaching me how to be one as well. Other bodyguards follow her from a distance, inspecting the area around us for potential security threats.

After showering, I spent quite a bit of time doing my hair and makeup. I definitely liked Lissa so far, but still felt somewhat intimidated by her. I mean, she is one of the most popular teenagers in the country! However, she has been nothing but friendly and kind since I have started working for her.

Once I was finally ready, I headed downstairs and joined Lissa for breakfast. She normally ate alone since many of the other bodyguards did not eat with her, but I enjoyed her company and hoped that she didn't mind my joining.

Lissa's dazzling smile when I sat down beside her definitely reassured me.

"Good morning Rose," she said sweetly. "We have a big day ahead of us. I am so excited, I absolutely love modelling!"

"You love everything you do," I replied jokingly. It was easy to see that Lissa truly did enjoy her work. I had heard her singing while playing along to the piano in her concert rooms many times at night for no reason aside from her passion for the music. It felt like I had been receiving a free and private concert, although I never commented on her singing since it was clear that she wanted the privacy. Unfortunately, privacy is not something that is easy to come by when living in a house full of bodyguards who have been hired to watch your every move.

"But that's a good thing," I added. "It is important to spend your time doing things that you enjoy."

Lissa beamed. "I really do love music and acting."

"Do you like all of the attention that you get?" I asked her.

"Yes, and no," she replied. "I love getting attention directed towards my work. It means so much to me that people enjoy my work. But I hate it when people try to pry into my personal life, and I hate not having the option to go out in public without being swarmed by fans. I don't understand why people even care about me as a person."

"Did you hear that Jesse Zeklos slept with Ralf Sarcozy's girlfriend, and that Ralf is now leaving the band as a result?" I asked her, anticipating her response. Jesse and Ralf were both members of a band that was popular, primarily as a result of Jesse's good looks.

She gave me an odd look for making such a random comment, but her eyes were quickly filled with excitement as she listened to the gossip.

"No way!" she exclaimed. "Although I always thought that Jesse was scum anyways so it isn't all that surprising. But I always thought that those two were really good friends. I wonder if their whole friendship was just a sham or-"

"And now you understand why people care about you as a person," I replied cutting her off. "A lot of people enjoy following celebrity gossip. Your life is like a dream come true for most people, so it is only natural that people will want to know more about you. Even you enjoy celebrity gossip," I added, waggling my eyebrows.

"Fine, you win," she grumbled, but had an amused expression. "It's nice spending time with you," she said abruptly. "You are so real, and honest. When you start attending different celebrity parties and events with me, you will begin to realize how fake and shallow some of these celebrities really are. The occasional one is nice, but most of them are completely self-absorbed.

"So how's Aaron?" I asked her. She groaned, and I had to hold back a laugh. Their relationship was somewhat real, but it was very one sided. Aaron was completely in love with Lissa, while Lissa liked him only a little bit. I had seen him around the mansion twice this week, and he seemed like a good guy, but was surprisingly a dull conversationalist. I would have expected an action film star like him to have been exciting and outgoing. It just goes to show that appearances can be deceptive. "Lissa, you can't complain about people being fakes, and then present your relationship with Aaron to the world as being flawless. If I had to guess, you are only dating him because it is what is expected of you."

"That's not completely true," she retorted, defending herself. "Things are a lot more complicated than that. You wouldn't understand."

And just like that, my comfort with Lissa had diminished. It felt like she had put me in my place, putting me below her with that comment.

"Actually, I think I do understand. You are dating someone that you have no feelings for, and I think it's because you are being a coward," I told her, picking up my breakfast, getting ready to eat somewhere else.

"I'm sorry Rose, I didn't mean anything, I just, it's really hard having the media follow you around everywhere! I wish I could meet someone and fall in love with them, but it's so damn hard for me to meet people, and at least Aaron is someone for me to socialize with. He actually likes me for me."

I immediately felt bad for lashing out at her. In a way, she had probably been right. I didn't understand, and probably wouldn't until after at least a few public appearances with Lissa.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have taken that so personally." I told her sitting back down.

"It's totally fine, now hurry up and finish your breakfast because we have to leave soon."

As if on cue, Dimitri entered the kitchen along with a woman that I hadn't met yet. My eyes were immediately drawn to Dimitri. Why did he have to be so freaking hot? I would have expected to have grown accustomed to his looks by now, but I seem to be more and more enthralled by him each time we are together. God dammit.

"Good morning Vasilisa," Dimitri said, giving a polite nod to Lissa.

"Call her Lissa," I groaned at the same time that Lissa begged, "Call me Lissa." Both of us laughed. Dimitri nodded, but he never seemed to greet her by her nickname for whatever reason. I would have to ask him about why he refused to do so later on.

"Hi Lissa, everything is all set to go. I just spoke to the set manager and the photographer will arrive shortly. A prep team is awaiting your arrival," said the woman who was standing with Dimitri. I could only assume this was Lissa's agent, Alberta Petrov. "A limo is outside waiting for you."

"Alright, let's go then," Lissa said. I would be joining Dimitri, Alberta, and two other bodyguards in Lissa's car while some other bodyguards would be tagging along behind us in separate cars. Since the limo picked us up right on Lissa's property, we were able to get in the car easily without disturbance from fans.

It took about an hour to drive to the studio since Lissa lived so far away from everything. When we finally got there, I found that the paparazzi and fans swarmed the property.

"Rose, it is important to for Vas-" Dimitri began, but Lissa and I glared at him. "Lissa," he corrected, "to be safe on the walk from here to the building. However, Alberta is advising that we go slowly to allow the paparazzi to take a few pictures, and for Lissa to sign a few autographs. You need to make sure that you are always close enough to Lissa to ensure that you can get at anyone who poses a direct threat to her safety." I nodded in response, and we got out of the car when the area around the studio was a bit less chaotic.

When Lissa stepped out of the car, fans started screaming and threw up their arms, waving at her crazily. Lissa stood up straight, and put on a beautiful smile as she greeted the crowd. She waved to everyone, signed autographs, and even posed for a couple of pictures. It had been challenging, but I had managed to keep myself near her the entire time that we were outside. When we finally entered the building, I let out a sigh of relief.

"You did well Rose, most bodyguards end up being blocked from their charges by the crowd on their first public appearances." Dimitri told me.

"Thanks," I replied to him smiling. He didn't smile in response. Now that I think about it, I don't think I have really seen him smile before… Or have fun, or make a joke, or act like a normal human being. His face is normally an unreadable mask, and his words are always so serious, and so work related. I can't help but wonder who he is underneath his exterior, that is, if he even is more than what he appears to be.

We were quickly greeted by an overly enthusiastic lady who quickly led Lissa into a dressing room. Dimitri told me to follow Lissa into the changing room since she hated it when the male bodyguards had to. I was to message him through the earpiece that he gave me if any problems arose. I was just about to walk into the room, when I was stopped by security.

"How did you get in here?" the man demanded. "This room is private."

"I am Lissa's bodyguard!" I exclaimed in response. The man gave me a weird look, and then bent over laughing.

"Of all the things I have heard you teenage girls come up with, this has to be one of the funnier ones. You are a teenage girl, not a bodyguard!"

"I am her freaking bodyguard, and if you don't let me through, I will use my fist to prove that I am not some innocent young girl," I growled at him.

"Mam, you may either leave now, or we will escort you out." The man replied. I was in the midst of contemplating whether to punch him or not when Dimitri's voice came from behind me.

"Mr. Nagy," Dimitri greeted him, however his tone held a very rough edge to it.

"Mr. Belikov, how may I help you?" the man asked.

"This is Lissa's newest bodyguard, Rose Hathaway. I told security exactly who she was earlier!" Dimitri exclaimed, sounding frustrated.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know." Mr. Nagy replied, clearly beginning to get nervous.

"Whatever, it's not your fault that this place's security is disorganized," Dimitri replied in both a polite, and annoyed way. "Just let her in already."

Mr. Nagy stepped aside and finally let me into the room. I knew it was going to be hard to be taken seriously as a bodyguard, but I had no idea it would be this bad.

I ended up basically standing in Lissa's prep room, doing absolutely nothing aside from awkwardly watch as she was dressed and primped up. After prepping her for over an hour, Lissa was finally released onto the set. She looked absolutely breathtaking. Her blond hair had been curled into luscious waves that fell down her back. Her eyes had also been lined, and highlighted with light shadows, making them look even bigger and brighter, while adding a sexy edge. The look was topped off with red lipstick and blush. The makeup was clearly overdone and would be too much for any other occasion, but for a photo shoot, I suppose exaggeration contributes to a stronger final product.

I took a seat next to Dimitri and Alberta while the photographer seemed to take endless shots of Lissa. She was even sent back to the dressing room a few times to have her makeup re-touched.

"Is it always this boring?" I asked Dimitri. "I thought public events with her were going to be exciting."

Dimitri arched up one eyebrow at me. "Well, this is exciting for her." He replied. "As for us, we are only on duty."

"Do you ever relax?" I asked. "I know that you would never relax while doing something important for Lissa, but it is like you are on duty even when you are off duty. You never actually take a break from your work."

"I can't afford to take breaks," he said quickly. "I did that once and…" he trailed off, not finishing. For the first time since I had met him, I saw an actual emotion pass through him. Unfortunately, this was one of sadness. Something must really be bothering him for an emotion to be showing through.

"You can talk about it you know," I told him softly. "It's ok to shed your stoic appearance sometimes."

Dimitri didn't reply to me, and we sat in silence for the next ten minutes.

"I have wonderful news!" Alberta exclaimed to the two of us after returning from a phone call. "Lissa got the lead role in the upcoming movie-musical, Spirit Bound!"

"That's awesome!" I replied. "What's her character and what is the movie going to be about?" I asked.

"It is a romantic comedy with some really good music," Alberta replied. "The script actually looks very funny. I believe that the move has a lot of potential. As well, she will be starring alongside Adrian Ivashkov, as her love interest."

My eyes widened when she mentioned Adrian Ivashkov. He was such a famous actor and singer just like Lissa, but instead of maintaining a clean and flawless reputation like she did, he had a bad-boy reputation. He allegedly smoked and drank a lot, and partied an unhealthy amount. He was also rumored to be a huge player with women. Despite his terrible reputation, girls from all over the world seemed to be completely in love with him. Even I nearly squealed at the thought of meeting him despite what a cocky asshole he was rumored to be.

"Wow, that is quite the co-star," I replied after a moment.

Alberta laughed. "Yes, he definitely is," she replied.

When Lissa's photo shoot finally ended, Alberta told her the good news, and she jumped up and down squealing with delight.

"I cannot believe I am going to star with Adrian Ivashkov!" Lissa exclaimed. "I have always wanted to meet him!" Clearly Lissa had fallen for his bad boy charms as well. In her defense, so had nearly half of the teenage female population of the country. I wonder how Aaron will react to this, I mean, there will probably be kissing scenes at the minimum if it is a romantic comedy.

"This movie is going to be amazing!" Lissa concluded after rambling some more. I thought it was really cute that Lissa still got so worked up over individual jobs after having so much success already.

We retreated back to Lissa's mansion shortly after, and I ate a large supper with her as she gushed some more about her role in the movie. The food was divine. Lissa had a personal chef who made the best food.

"Rose, do you want to go swimming or something?" Lissa asked me.

"Sure," I replied smiling. While I had been eating meals with her, we hadn't interacted much with one another during other times of the day.

"Make that rigorous swimming Rose," Dimitri's voice exclaimed, coming out of nowhere. "You already missed your morning workout."

"Yeah, yeah," I yelled back to him. Lissa laughed.

"He really is hard on you, isn't he?" she asked, still giggling.

"Yes, he definitely is," I replied.

"It's good, it means he see's potential in you. Otherwise, he wouldn't be putting in the effort to help you, and probably would have recommended that I fire you by now." Lissa said.

I smiled, and Lissa and I ended up spending the night in her pool and hot tub. It almost felt like a normal night out with a friend.

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**I'm sorry there wasn't much action in this chapter, but I felt that it was needed to continue introducing the story. **

**Do you think Rose is going to be able to build up a reputation for herself in a world full of bulky male bodyguards? What do you think Adrian will be like, and how do you think the movie is going to go?**

**Please review your thoughts!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone! I am so sorry it took me this long to post an update, but I made the chapter extra long! I hope you all enjoy it.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**Rose's POV:**

"I'm tired, can we just call it a day already?" I groaned, begging Dimitri to release me from my private torture session early. "At this rate, I'm not going to even be able to walk with Lissa to the doors of the movie set."

Dimitri arched one eyebrow up at me. "Don't you think you're exaggerating?" he asked, with a hint of amusement in his voice.

I groaned, and sat down on the mat, putting my head in between my hands. It had been over a month now since I began working for Lissa, and Dimitri insisted that I would have to continue these training sessions for at least another month.

Dimitri hovered over me awkwardly, and soon took a seat next to me.

"You're doing really well, but it takes a lot of work and time to build muscle and cardio. Even once we are done our sessions, you will still be expected to maintain your fitness level by jogging and doing weight trainings during your spare time." Dimitri told me.

"It just sucks, I bet most guys wouldn't have to work half as hard as I do to get into the same shape. Your body just builds muscle naturally obviously," I complained, and then felt myself blush from the implication my words held. Whatever, it is a known fact that his body is chiseled. My comment doesn't necessarily mean that I am checking him out, although I do so daily. I have been desperately trying to fight the attraction building towards him since he has given absolutely no indication that he feels anything for me.

Dimitri was silent for a moment, and then stood up.

"Life sometimes isn't fair," were his only words before heading upstairs. Assuming that was my cue to leave, and that the jailor actually cut our training session short, I got up, and took a long shower. My muscles were crying in pain, but the warm water was helping relieve the tension in my body.

After I got out of the shower, I found that I had missed three calls from Christian, so I picked up my phone and called him back.

"Hey Chris, what's up?" I asked him when he picked up.

"Tasha invited me out for a supper with her tonight, and asked me to invite you to join us."

"I would love to join you!" I replied immediately. "I will just have to check with Lissa and Dimitri to make sure that it is ok."

I heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end. I couldn't hold back my laugh.

"Christian, one of these days, you are going to meet Vasilisa Dragomir, and you will learn that she is not worth having a panic attack over." I told him, still laughing. I had tried inviting Christian over multiple times, but he kept refusing because he was scared of making a fool of himself in front of Lissa. He had some kind of hero-worship thing going on for her.

"Yeah, but I can't just talk to her. I mean, she is Vasilisa," Christian replied.

"Yes, you can talk to her because she is a human being just like you are," I retorted, rolling my eyes. "Whatever, I will see if I can get the night off. Bye." I told him before hanging up.

I headed downstairs and found Lissa in her concert room. She was playing the piano and singing along to it just like she always does. I felt really bad interrupting her, but I had to ask for permission to take the night off.

"Hi Liss, can I talk to you for a moment?" I asked her.

She stopped singing and turned towards me. "Of course," She replied with a smile.

"I was just wondering if I could take the night off because I have a sort of family dinner tonight."

I had told Lissa about my lack of parental figures, so she nodded in understanding when I referred to it only as a 'sort of' family gathering. However, her eyes then saddened.

"Rose, did you forget? Adrian is hosting a party tonight for the movie cast to all get to know each other before the first day of filming. You can take the night off, but I was kind of hoping for you to be there with me," she said pleadingly.

Shit, I had totally forgotten about that. How the hell could I have forgotten that I was invited to a party being hosted by Adrian Ivashkov?

"Oh my god, I completely forgot about that. Never mind what I said before, I will be there." I told her automatically. I would feel like a terrible employee if I ditched her on a night when I was actually needed. "But Liss, what am I supposed to wear to something like that? I mean, what do all the other bodyguards wear?"

Lissa's facial expression glazed over in concentration and I chuckled. She was very serious about fashion.

"That's a good question Rose. Well, there aren't really any other female bodyguards, so I suppose we will have to invent our own dress code for you." She said, clapping her hands together. It is a formal event, so the cast members will all be in dresses or suits. I have my dress picked out already."

I laughed again. "Liss, you probably had your dress picked out the moment Adrian invited you."

"Yeah," she replied looking down, and I laughed some more.

"Let me take you shopping today Rose," Lissa offered. "I am free all day before the party, and Dimitri and Pavel can come to watch over us. You will be off duty."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "I don't want to be disturbing you or anything-"

"It's definitely not a problem. I love shopping!" Lissa replied, cutting me off.

"Alright, just let me call back Christian and let him know that I won't be able to make it for dinner tonight."

"When am I going to meet this Christian?" Lissa asked waggling her eyebrows. "And are you sure that you don't have any feelings for him? Because from what you tell me, you would make the cutest couple!"

"I am 110% sure," I replied. "Christian and I are definitely not meant to be a couple. And you will meet him sometime. He has just been really busy lately," I lied.

"Oh ok," Lissa replied.

I called Christian, and apologized many times over for not being able to attend tonight. He told me it wasn't a big deal, and that I should call him the next time I get time off work.

"Ready to go?" Lissa asked. Dimitri and Pavel stood behind her, ready to leave as well.

"Yes," I replied, and the four of us got into Lissa's limo.

"You have the energy to shop Rose?" Dimitri asked me when the car started moving. "I thought that you would be too tired to even walk into a building," he said teasingly.

"Shut up comrade," I grumbled. Lissa giggled.

"Where are going anyways? The mall?" I asked.

"No, the mall is filled with too many people who may recognize me. We are going to a small, privately owned boutique." Lissa replied.

"Boutique? How fancy are you dressing me up?" I asked.

"We will see," Lissa replied. "I want to find a dress fancy enough to make you look like you are a guest there since I want you to have some fun there with me. Most of the guards normally wait around the perimeters of the building during these parties, but I would love to introduce you to everyone. But the dress has to also be practical."

"You have really thought this through, haven't you?" I asked her, chuckling.

"Yep," Lissa replied. We got to the boutique shortly after.

"Woah, Liss, I can't afford any of this stuff," I told her after looking around the store for only a moment. It was clearly very upscale.

"Don't worry about it Rose, it's on me today." Lissa replied immediately.

"No, you don't have to-"

"Rose, we didn't come down all this way for you not to buy anything!" Lissa exclaimed. She then basically threw me in a change room and had the sales assistant throw a variety of dresses at me to try on. After trying on at least twenty dresses, we finally settled on one. It was bright red and had jewels lining the sweet-heart neckline. The skirt hit just before my knees so that it was long enough to be considered still classy, but short enough to be easily able to manoeuver around in. Also, it was really flattering on my chest.

"Do you all like it?" I asked, after stepping out of the change room.

"It's perfect!" Lissa squealed. Pavel nodded in agreement, although he had told me that every dress was perfect, most likely hoping to get out of here as soon as possible.

"What about you Dimitri?"

If I didn't know better, I would probably have said that Dimitri was checking me out at the moment. His eyes were roaming down, below my face. However, as soon as I addressed him, he snapped out of it and looked me in the eye. "It's beautiful," he said softly.

For whatever reason, those two simple words made my heart flip. Dimitri looked away from me quickly after to my disappointment, and I closed the curtain again to get changed back into my normal clothes. After buying a simple pair of low heels, the four of us left.

When we got back to the mansion, Alberta greeted us at the door.

"Lissa, your hair stylist and makeup artist are both upstairs waiting in your room." Alberta stated.

Lissa ran up to her room, not wanting to keep them waiting, and I headed upstairs to get ready myself. I decided to add a bit more of a curl to my already wavy hair, and applied some subtle makeup. Even though I was going to a party tonight, I had to make it clear to myself and to everyone else that I was a bodyguard, and not just another guest.

I finished getting ready, and headed downstairs to watch TV while I waited to go. The doorbell rang soon after, and one of Lissa's guards opened the door, revealing Aaron.

"Hi Aaron," I called out waving to him. "Lissa is still getting ready."

Aaron nodded and unfortunately took a seat next to me. Don't get me wrong, he is a nice guy, but I have absolutely nothing to talk to him about.

"How are you?" I asked him trying to fill the silence.

"Good," he responded. I mentally groaned. Come on Aaron, give me something to work with!

"Well, that's good. Are you excited for the party tonight?"

He shrugged. "I guess. I'm kind of worried about Lissa though. She got totally plastered at the last party we were at, and nearly fell down the stairs. Dimitri came out of nowhere and somehow caught her just before she went stumbling down."

"Liss is a heavy drinker?" I asked him, quite surprised by this revelation. "Is she normally like that, or was it more of a one time thing?"

"She gets really drunk at every celebrity party she goes to," Aaron replied softly. "I really worry about her sometimes."

Ok, so Aaron is finally scoring major points with me as being Lissa's boyfriend. He may be boring, but he is extremely sweet and caring, a quality that Lissa is undoubtedly attracted by. However, his words were concerning me. Why didn't Dimitri warn me about this?

As if on cue, Dimitri took a seat across from me.

"Rose, your job tonight is actually very important. One of the reasons that I supported hiring you was because Vasilisa would greatly benefit from having a companion with her at these parties. I can't stick too close to her since she likes socializing with everyone, but my hope is that she will include you in her conversations. And Rose, this may sound obvious, but we have had to fire guards in the past as a result of violating this rule so…" he trailed off. "Under no circumstances are you to drink any alcohol at this party."

"No shit," I replied. "My job is to protect her, not for her to be taking care of me," I responded rolling my eyes at him.

"You would be surprised by the amount of guards Lissa has hired that have broken that rule, so I just had to warn you," Dimitri replied.

"I know I haven't known her very long, but I care way too much about Lissa to put her life in danger for something as little as alcohol." I replied, looking directly into his warm brown eyes.

"Good." Dimitri replied.

"I'm glad she has you Rose," Aaron said to me.

With his stunning hazel eyes and dirty brown hair, it was undeniable that he was good looking. Being the sweet and caring guy he is, I have no doubt that he will find the right girl soon. I just don't think it is Lissa.

Lissa came downstairs a half hour later, and she looked stunning. Her blond hair was braided complicatedly and all tied together in a bun. A few loose strands of hair fell loose, framing her face. Her dress was a pink floor length gown cover with shining jewels. She looked like a princess.

Aaron's thoughts were clearly mirroring mine since his eyes widened as he took her in.

"Lissa, you are so beautiful," Aaron exclaimed, standing up to greet her. He gave her a kiss on the lips that Lissa quickly broke.

"You look good too," she replied, smiling.

Ten minutes later, we all got into Lissa's limo, and drove down to Adrian's rental mansion which was where the party was being hosted.

Without even knocking, Lissa walked straight in, so we all followed her lead.

The house was stunning. It was hard to believe one person could have enough money to stay in a place like this as a temporary residence. The lights had been dimmed so it was hard to see a lot of the house, but it was clearly very well made. Loud music was blaring throughout the house, although I had yet to see anyone. We ended up walking further through the house to find that everyone was lounging in a room with lots of large comfortable couches, and a bar.

"Can I get two shots of vodka?" Lissa asked the bartender.

The man nodded, and quickly gave her the drinks. She smiled, and downed them both without flinching, and without accompanying them with a chaser.

"Whoa Liss, maybe you should pace yourself," I suggested.

She shrugged her shoulders, and went to greet someone, essentially ignoring me.

"Follow her Rose," Dimitri urged me. "She is very stubborn, and we cannot force her to drink responsibly at these events, but we can make sure she stays as safe as possible."

I nodded, and joined Lissa.

"Rose, these are two of my cast mates, Mia and Jill. They will be playing my little cousins in the movie." Lissa said excitedly.

"Hi, it's good to meet you both," I told them. Jill smiled at me sweetly and Mia nodded.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of having you in my home?" A male voice asked from behind me.

I turned around and couldn't help but stare. Adrian Ivashkov. His hair was perfectly messy, and his green eyes gleamed as he looked at me.

"Hi, I'm Rose," I greeted awkwardly.

"Adrian Ivashkov," he replied, taking my hand to shake it. He held my hand in his for an unusually long amount of time for a hand shake, and only released it after pulling it up to his lips for a quick kiss. "You must be Lissa's bodyguard. I have heard all about you."

"You have?" I asked stupidly.

He grinned. "Word of sexy female bodyguards definitely gets around."

I blushed automatically. "Your chest is quite bare tonight," he commented.

"Excuse me?" I exclaimed, getting ready to slap him in the face.

"No, I didn't mean it that way," Adrian exclaimed, correcting himself. I gave him a stern look. "Ok, maybe I did mean it that way just a little, but that's good. You expose just the right amount of cleavage. It's enough to capture my attention, but leaves lots of room for my imagination."

I slapped him square across the face, and walked towards Lissa who's jaw had dropped at this point. Mia and Jill looked just as shocked as she did.

"Did you just slap Adrian Ivashkov?" Moa exclaimed. 'Of course I did stupid! You just saw me doing that!' was what I wanted to reply with, but I had to play nice, at least for tonight.

"He was being a creep," I replied, shrugging my shoulder as if it were no big deal.

"Rose, I'm sorry," Adrian exclaimed running towards me again. "All I meant by that comment was that you weren't wearing a necklace."

"Well, you said a whole hell of a lot more than that," I told him crossing my arms. "And what do you care about whether I wear jewelry or not? I actually am here on duty you know."

Adrian shrugged. "I just figured a pretty girl such as yourself must have a reason for not accompanying a dress like that with a necklace."

Ok, so Adrian is a complete weirdo apparently. "You are really weird," I commented.

"I know," Adrian replied proudly. "I will send an assortment of necklaces over to Lissa's tonight. You can keep whichever ones you would like."

Wait, how did he know that I didn't actually have much jewelry?

Sensing my confusion, Adrian added, "I am very perceptive."

"If you are so perceptive, then why don't you stop hitting me? Your perception skills should be telling you that I am here on duty, and not interested." I told him.

Adrian's eyes widened in surprise, but it quickly turned into amusement.

"Excuse me," exclaimed a voice, and I was suddenly pushed away from Adrian.

"Hi Adrian," moaned the same voice. I looked up to see a tall and trim brunette batting her eyelashes at Adrian. I really didn't mind being moved away from Adrian, but I didn't like the girl's attitude at all.

"Who is that?" I asked Lissa, pointing to the girl.

"Avery Lazar," she replied. "I guess I should say hello to her."

That was Avery Lazar? Wow, I had no clue she was such a bitch.

"Hi Avery," Lissa slurred. Wait, slurred? How could she be this drunk already? I didn't want to join the conversation, but I stood by Lissa closely, ensuring that she was safe.

The two girls continued talking, but I was snapped out of my concentration when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Ugh, you again?" I exclaimed looking at Adrian.

"Mind if I keep you company. You looked lonely standing here all alone."

"I'm not just a party guest. I am responsible for Lissa's safety," I replied, feeling annoyed.

Adrian shrugged and pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, and lit it up right in front of me.

"That's a terrible habit you know," I told him.

He shrugged. I turned to walk off and found Dimitri standing in a corner, surveying the entire room.

"Hey comrade," I greeted him.

"Rose," he replied. "You need to stop letting Ivashkov distract you from Lissa. Just look at what she is doing now!"

I turned my head to find Lissa dancing on a table with Avery. Adrian made his way towards the table and hopped on, joining the two. Aaron meanwhile sat off to the side, looking defeated.

"Liss, sweetie, come down from there," I called, not wanting her to fall off. A broken leg would be quite an inconvenience for filming tomorrow.

"No Rose, you come up here!" she yelled. "It's fun!"

"It's just as fun down here!" I countered.

"It's a party, quit acting like a mother!" Avery snorted at me.

Lissa was clearly out of it because she simply waved at me, smiling and laughing for no apparent reason. Shit, this is really not good if she is like this often. I mean, it's one thing to get drunk on occasion, but she doesn't control herself at all.

"That bastard," Aaron exclaimed to me when Adrian started dancing with Lissa in a sexual way. "I want her out of here."

"I do too Aaron, but I can't make choices for her." I replied.

I walked back to Dimitri. "What am I supposed to do?" I asked him.

"There's really not much we can do. In an hour or two, we can take her home, but she will want to stay here for a bit longer for sure."

"So there's nothing I can do?" I exclaimed. "I'm supposed to just sit here while she tortures Aaron, and acts like an idiot?"

"She's just drunk Rose," Pavel commented from out of nowhere.

"Beyond wasted is more like it," I mumbled.

"Rose, it is great that you are so protective of her, but in a way, Pavel is right. She is not in immediate danger, and it is her choice to act this way. As long as she makes it through the night safely, there is not much more that we can do."

I groaned, and leaned against the wall, bracing myself for the rest of the evening. Lissa would remember that I was present on occasion, and would introduce me to people, and have me join in on conversations. However, the longer I spent at this party, the more I realized that I didn't really fit in. I felt a lot more comfortable standing at the back with Dimitri than I did socializing with Lissa and the other stars.

Two hours later, Lissa passed out on the couch, so Dimitri lifted her up, and placed her gently into the limo, effectively ending the party for us.

"I'm sorry if that party wasn't what you were hoping for," Dimitri told me as the car began to pull away.

"It doesn't matter. She comes first." I replied.

I replayed those three words over in my head, wondering exactly where they came from.

"You're right. She does," Dimitri replied, looking at her protectively, like an older brother may look at their younger sister.

"She drags you along to all sorts of this crap, doesn't she?" I asked him.

"You get used to it," Dimitri replied. "For me, it has always been easiest to remain out of the social scene, and to just do my job. I advise you basically do the same, although you will have to do some socializing if you are to be Lissa's near guard."

"I know," I replied.

We got back to Lissa's mansion a few minutes later, and Dimitri put Lissa into her bed.

"You did well tonight Rose. Practice with me is cancelled tomorrow since we will be accompanying Lissa to the studio."

"Best news of the night!" I replied, smirking at him. He almost smiled, but then didn't which upsets me.

"Goodnight Roza," he sighed before walking away.

"Goodnight Dimitri," I replied mindlessly, and headed up to my room. I fell asleep instantly.

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**How did you like the chapter? What did you think of the Rose and Dimitri interactions? How did you like Adrian? What do you think Lissa's drinking is all about? And who thinks Christian should grow some balls? Please review your thoughts!**


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